Mail chute



R. FELLS MAIL CHUTE Filed Sept. 7, 1929 May 5, 1931.

/ l f f I 1 latented May 5, 1931 TTES RUTH ELLS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YRK, ASSIG'NOR TO UNITED STATES MAIL CHUTE lll'. Y., A CORPORATUN OF NEW YORK llfAL CHUTE Application filed September Y, 1929.

rlhis invention relates to a mail chute or conduit for conveying letters and other like mail matter from the several floors of a. building to a receptacle therefor in the first floor, or basement, or other place. ln installing mail chutes in a building it is necessary, as will be readily understood, to place the chute in an absolutely7 upright or vertical position. Due, however, to the uneveness or irregularity of the walls, at least in some buildings, diiiiculty is often experienced in aligning the parts of the chute to maire them vertical. ln the construction of mail chutes it is also customary to employ a plurality of channel members each fitted with a wall orpanel, the panels preferably being removably connected to their respective channel members. These panel members are customarily provided with a frame which fits over the edge portions of the channels. Consequently in ordinary constructions there is no provision made against indenting or depressing the sides of the channel. lt is obviously of much importance to so construct and connect these parts, that is, the channels and their panels, that under ordinary conditions it is impossible to indent or depress the side members of the channels.

N ow the objects of my invention are to overcome these difliculties and in so doing to employ a simpl#7 constructed mechanism by which the parts of the mail chute may be aligned and installed in a vertical position and also to employ a frame member as a part of eaca panel and adapted to receive an edgev portion of the side of a channel member to maintain the same in position. lt will be understood, of course, that while these devices are particularly adapted to be employed in conjunction with mail chutes their use is not so specifically limited as they may be employed in aligning other devices ina vertical position and also for maintaining' the side walls of divers structures in place.

ln the drawings Figure 1 is a transverse sectional plan illustrating` a mail chute structure in which my invention is embodied,

Fi 2 is a. sectional elevationon line 2-2,

Fi 3 is a sectional plan on an enlarged Serial No. 399,873.v

scale illustrating the construction of the frame of a panel,

Fig. el is a partial sectional plan showing the adjustable attaching devices connected directly between the wall and a part of the conduit or chute, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing another form of the invention.

l'n the drawings 10 designates a part of a wall. ln carrying out the invention l employ angle irons 11 and 12, the corresponding legs of which are placed against the wall and secured in position by means of screws 13 and 14, or otherwise. The outer face of the other leg of the angle` iron 11 is provided with a series of teeth or serrations 15 and in this leg of the angle iron there is a slot 16. ln the corresponding face of the leg of the angle iron 12 there is a series of teeth or serrations l? and this leg of the angle iron is provided with a slot 18. associated with the outer leg of the angle iron 11 there is an angle iron 19 and associated with the angle iron 12 there is an angle iron 20.

The inner face of one of the legs ofthe angle iron 19 is provided with a series of teeth or Serrat-ions 21 adapted to interengage with the teeth or serrations 15 in the angle iron 11 and these angle irons are adapted to be adjustably placed and connected relatively to each other by means of a suitable screwy 22 passing through the slot 16 and turned down into a tapped opening provided therefor in the serrated leg of the angle iron 19. In a similar manner one leg ofthe angle iron is provided with a series of teeth or serrations 23 adapted to interengage with the teeth or serrations 17 in the angle iron 12, and these angle irons are adapted to be adjustably placed and connected relatively to each other by a suitable screw 2st passing through the slot 18 and turned down into a tapped opening provided therefor in the serrated leg of the angle iron 20.

Associated with each of these sets of angle irons l employ an additional angle iron. As illustrated an angle iron 25 is associated with the angle irons 11 and 19 and an angle iron 26 with the angle irons 12 and 20. ln one leg lof the angle iron 25 there is a slot 27.

Passing through this slot there is a screw 28 adapted to be turned down into a tapped opening provided therefor in the adjacent leg of the angle ironl9. ln similar manner in one leg of the angle iron 2G there is a slot 29. Passing through this slot 29 there is a screw 39 adapted to be turned down into a tapped opening provided therefor in the adjacent legwoil therangle iron 2O.Y ln this manner the ngle iron i9 may be adj ustably connected to the angle iron and the angle iron 2O to the angle iron 26. The unslotted or the an le irons Q5 and 2G are adapted to extend over the adjacent. sides of the anglel irons with 'r ch they are associated.

rlhe slot'ed of the angle iro-ns 25 and 2G are connected. to the bach member "l of the band by g' welded thereto, or by means of suitable screws, as indicated at 32 and 33. ln either event this bach member 3l oi' the band is provided with openings S4 and 35 through which, as will be understood, the heads or the screws 28 and 30 are accessible.

Together' with a bach member 3l the band member may include ide members 36 and 37 and a 'iront memberl he Jiront member 38 as illustrated is pivotaliy connected, as at 39, to the forward end of the side member 3G and at its opposite end this front member is l'itted with a lock bar 40 which is pivotally connected thereto, as indicated at 41. W ith the parts in position the loch bar 49 is adapted to lie against the outer face of the side inember 37 and the parts maintained in this relationship by means of a suitable lock 42 or otherwise. rllhe iront member 38 may include van offset lower portion 43 between which and its upper portion there is provided a letter slot 44. Associated with the band and held in place thereby are the usual channel members preferably formed of sheet metal. Two of these are shown in the drawing and at their overlapping ends, as is customary, are made to lie within the band. The nach oi the upper channel member is indicated at 45 and the sides thereoiI at 46 and 41. T he bach of the lower channel member -s indicated at 48 and the sides thereof at 49 and 50.

is hereinbeiore described the adjustable devices ior aligning the parts of the chute are arranged benveen the wall and the band employed at 'the joint between the channels of the chnte in w rich band, as is customary, the opening or slot for the admission of letters or other matter to be. mailed, is provided. lt is customary and, of course, necessary to employ one ot these bant s on each floor. In some instances the alignment of the parts oi the chute may be accomplished in this manner, that is, by merely applying the adjusting t evices to the band and connecting the same to the wall. En other instances, however, it may be necessary or advisable to connect the channel meinbers of the chute directly to the wall and to apply the band member to the channel members and their panels in the customary manner. ln such instances, furthermore, it may be necessary to employ one, or two, or more, of the sets oi listing devices on each door in order to properly align the parts oi the chute.

ln Fig. 4 l have illustrated the connection of the enz nnel members directly to tl e wall by means of the same type of adjusting devices as those hereinbeiore described. ln this ligure, however, the adjusting device at one side of the channel only is illustrated, it being understood that the adjus'n g device at the other side of channel is a duplicate thereln this structure the angle iron 25 is, for connected directly to the bacl-z 45 nel member. This may be el'llected by \.'el.t.i,-.g the parts together or rl`he angle iron 19 is adjustably o angle iron by the screw oi which lies within the counter' Aie slot 27 while the shank "ance,

Aitance is connected to the wall lO in the same warner as nereinboiore described and the ans' or the angle iron 19. is hereini KAVd this type of adjusting device iii-ay be enxnloyed with either, or both, or any number or channels and any necessary numol the ci" adjusting devices may be employed with any one channel in orner to eti'ect the desired result oi installing the conin such a manner that it will assume a vertical position.

is is customary each of these channel memiitted with a removable panel. Each ble panel preferably comprises a plate of or other transparent material and a metal 'fran-ie adafted to cover or otherwise engage the edge portions ot' the side members he eorresjjionding channel. As illustrated the glass j ilate of the upper panel is indicated at 5l and the traine with which this plate is fitted is preferably n ade of sheet metal and so formed to include a side 52 having` walls and 54, together with a front member anl a base rlhe edge portion of the plate glass 5l is yieldingly maintained in position between the edges of the Jfront inember and the base The wall 54 which terminates in the base 56 is so constructed as to include a loop with a space 58 between the parts of the loop and adapted to receive the cuter or free edge of the side of the channel with which the panel is associated. This is clearly ill .strated in l wherein, for example, the side member of the trarne of the panel lits over the side wall 46 and the edge ot the side wall 46 fits into the space 58. Ol

viously the structure is the same on both sides of the panel. rlhe glass plate of the lower panel is indicated at 59 and it will be understood that this is litted with a. frame 60 having the sides thereof constructed in the same manner as those hereinbefore described for the upper panel.

lt is to be understood and noted that wall 54 and the short extension of the base 56, which are adapted to form the loop 57 with the space 5S to receive the'outer or free edge of the channel with which the panel is associated, has an additional function in that the long arm 54 forming one side of the socket serves as a guide for the end walls 46 and 47 of the channel or a guide for the panel in its movement towards the end walls of the channel so that, as the panel is moved towards the channel the long arm 54 of the socket contacts with the outer surface of the side walls 46 and 47, causing the free ends thereof to be directed into the space 58, that is, the socket formed by the loop 57.

In some instances, as will appear by reference to Fig. 5, the angle irons 12 and 2O may be connected in the usual manner and a single bolt 61 used for securing these connected angle irons tothe wall and to the band, or to the wall of the channel, the head of the bolt or'screw 61 lying in the countersunl; slot 35 vin the angle 26 and passing through the angle iron 2O and also through the angle iron 12 and into the wall so as to secure the parts together and maintain them in position for use. f

lt will now be understood that in the use of the improvements hereinbefore described in the installation of mail chutes the irregularities which there may be in the wall against which the mail chute is to be placed cause little or no diiiiculty in placing the chute in an upright or vertical position, this difficulty being overcome by such adjustment of the sets of angle irons 11 and 19 and 12# and 2O as may be necessary. It will also be apparent in the use of removable panels fitted with the type of frame hereinbefore describe-d` that it is substantially impossible for the side members of the channels to be bent or moved inwardly due to the edge portions thereof being located within and held in pcsition by the sockets provided for this purpose in the inner wall and the base of the frames of the panels. Gbviously also, the improvements hereinbefore set forth are not specifically limited to the purposes specified as they may be employed to advantage in other constructions without departing from the nature or spirit of the invention.

l claim as my invention:

1. In ay mail chute, a conduit, sets of angle irons for connecting` the conduit to a wall, each set of angle irons comprising a member connected to the wall, a member connected to the chute, and an intermediate member adjustably secured to the member connected to the wall in order to insure the position of the chute being vertical irrespective of irregularities in the surface of the wall.

2. In a. mail chute, a conduit, and sets of angle irons for securingl the conduit to a wall,

leach set of angle irons comprising a member to be connected to the wall, a member connected to the conduit and an intermediate member adjustably connected to both the aforesaid members in order to cause the conduit to assume a vertical position irrespectire of irregularitiesr in the surface of the wall.

3. In a mail chute, a conduit, and sets of devices for connecting the conduit to a wall, each set of devices including an angle iron adapted to be secured to the wall, an angle iron secured to the conduit and an intermediate kangle iron adjustably connected to the angle iron to be secured to the wall and also adjustably connected to the angle iron secured to the conduit.

4. In a. mail chute, a conduit, sets of devices for securing the conduit to a wall, each set of devices comprising an angle iron to be connected to the wall, an angle iron connected to the conduit and an intermediate angle iron, means for adjustably n connecting the angle iron secured to the conduit tothe intermediate angle iron, and means for adgustably connecting the intermediate angle iron to the angle iron to be secured to the wall.

5. ln device of the class described, a channel member having back and side portions, and a panel member comprising a glass plate and resilient frames therefor extending along the sides thereof, the free edges of said resilient frames being adapted to embrace the opposite faces adjacent the edges of the sides of said glass plate, there being formed along the length of the resilient frames intermediate the edges the 1eof, resilient walled sockets adapted to receive the edges of the respective side portions of said channel member, the walls of said soclrets being spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of the side portions of the channel member, whereby, upon pressing the panel member against the channel member, the edges of the sideportions of said channel member may be guided into and become operably retained within the sockets of the resilient frames. 'i

6. In a device of the class described, a channel member having back and side portions', and a panel member comprising a glass.

plate and resilient frames therefor extending along the sides thereof, theffree edges of said resilient frames being adapted to embrace the v opposite faces adjacent the edges of the sides of said glass plate, there being provided in the resilient frames intermediate the edges thereof U-sliaped resilient walled sockets adapted to receive the edges of the respective side portions of said channel member, the walls of said sockets being spaced apart a distance 7 f5. l n lfd-n Y i iacent tne edges er thesides erthe grass plate,

equal to the thickness of the side portions oi the channel member, the Walls of said sockets being respectively long and short, whereby, upon pressure of the panel member against the channel member, the edges of the side portions of the channel member may contact With the longer Walls of the sockets and be guided into said sockets to become operably interlocked with the resilient frames.

7. ln device ot' the class described, a channel member having back and side portions and a panel member comprising a glass plate and resilient frame sections cooperating With the sides of said glass plate, said resilient frame sections being bent over on themselves intermediate the edges thereof to form sockets adapted to receive the respective side portions o said channel member, the free edges of said resilient frame sections being overturned laterally to embrace opposite faces adthe Walls of said sockets being spaced apartl a distance equal to the thickness of the side portions of the channel member, whereby, upon pressing the panel member against the channel member the edges of the side portions et the channel member may be guided into and become operably retained Within the sockets of the resilient frames,

8. In a device of the class described, a channel member having back and side portions, and a panel member comprising a glass w +1' 1 ,VMAMMJJMA, ci nplatewand i silient frame sections cooperating with the sides of said glass plate, said resilient frame sections being bent over on themselves intermediate the edO'es thereof to form sockets, the Walls et which are spaced apart a suliicient distance one from the other to receive the respective side portions of said channel member, the free edges of said resil ient frame sections being overturned laterally to embrace the opposite faces adjacent the edges of the sides of the glass plate, Whereby, upon pressing the panel member against the channel member, the edges of the side portions of the channel member may be guided into and become operably retained Within the sockets of the resilient frames.

9. In a device of the class described, a channel member having` back and side portions and a panel member comprising a glass plate and resilient frames therefor, extending along the sides thereof, the free edges of said resilient frames being adapted to embrace the opposite faces adjacent the edges of the sides of said glass plate, there being formed along the length of the resilient frames, intermediate the edges thereof, resilient walled sockets, the Walls of which are spaced apart one from the other a distance suiiicient to receive the et ges of the respective side portions oi said channel member, whereby, upon pressing the panel member against the channel member, the edges of the side portions of said channel 

